With the successful landing of China Southern Airlines flight CZ5241 at Wuhan's Tianhe International Airport on Friday, a group of 190 medical workers who helped attend to patients and fight the COVID-19 outbreak in Jilin province over the past three weeks finally returned home to the capital city of Hubei province.

A welcoming ceremony on board, including the placement of many national flags, music and celebratory signboards, was held after thorough and rapid preparations were made for the team's return with only two days' notice. It was all done in order to pay tribute to the heroic deeds of the medics, who came a long way from a distant city, put aside their personal interests and made great contributions to protect and save lives, according to the crew from the airlines' Beijing branch.

This is not the first time that China Southern was assigned to transport medics between Jilin and other parts of China during the latest outbreak in the northeastern Chinese city. As a leading domestic carrier by fleet size and market share, the airline has played a vital role in carrying emergency workers amid the nation's epidemic battles.

About a week ago, for example, a group of medical workers from Sichuan province that went to assist the anti-epidemic work in Jilin returned home thanks to China Southern's coordinating work, despite the airline only learning about their return merely a day in advance.

From mid-March to early April, the airline modified 13 passenger fights into cargo ones to deliver medical supplies from Hubei to Jilin, according to the company's Hubei branch.

By specifically selecting experienced crew and making swift responses to medical-related transfer needs, China Southern has shown it is determined to ensure the safety for medical workers and support urgent and challenging situations.

The airline sees its efforts as a way of showing respect for those who have devoted themselves to the fight against COVID-19, company officials said.